Amalgamator.



No. 883,117. 'PATBNTED MAR. 24, 1908.

J. P. MGINN. AMALGAMATOIL] APPLICATION FILED'IBLZ, 1907. RENEWED JAN.'.17, 1908.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES P. MCGINN, OF DENVER, COLORADO, ASSIGNOR, BY DIRECT AND MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, OF THREE-FOURTHS TO CHARLES T. ROAGH, OF GLENWOOD SPRINGS, COLORADO.

AMALGAMATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 24, 1908'.

Application filed February 2, 1907, Serial No. 355,365. Renewed January 17,. 1908. Serial No. 411,327.

To all whom it may concern:

Be tknown that LJAMES P. MoGINN, a CItIZGIl of the United States, residing at the city and county of Denver and State of Colothis specification.

My invention relates to improvements in amalgamators, all of which will be fully understood by reference to the accompanying drawlng 1n which is illustrated an embodiment thereof.

at the top and bottom.

In this drawing, Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section taken through my improved amalgamator with all of the parts assembled. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the lowermost or base member of the structure. Fig. 3 is a plan view in detail of one of the disks forming a part of the structure. Fig. 4 is a similar view showing another form of disk. Fig. 5 is a separating or spacing device interposed bei 1 tween the disks.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all the views.

Let the numeral 5 designate an upright tank preferably cylindrical in form and open The bottom or lowermost member 6 of the amalgamator is coneshaped having an upwardly projecting flange 7 at its lower edge. Between the flange 7 and the apex of the cone is located a number of segmental troughs or receptacles 8- and 9. -As shown in the drawing there are three of the troughs 8 arranged in the same circular zone while there are three smaller troughs 9 arranged above the troughs 8 and consequently in a different zone. There are spaces 8 between the troughs 8 and spaces 9 between the troughs 9. The troughsS and 9 are arranged in staggered relation or so that the separating spaces between the one set of troughs are centrally located respectively with reference to the other set. of troughs. Each of the troughs 8 and 9 is closed at its extremities, whereby it is adapted to retain a quantity of amalgam. During the operation of the machine these troughs are adapted to catch any amalgam that may escape PEtSSGS.

from the amalgamati-ng surfaces above. This liquid mercury is then in position to catch any free precious metal values that may remain in the material after having passed over the amalgamating disks above as hereinafter explained.

Located above the member 6 and resting on the trough thereof, is a member 10 whose body part has the shape of the frustum of a cone, its lower edge being provided with an upwardly projecting flange 12. The central part of this member 10 is provided with an opening 13 surrounded by a funnel-shaped flange 14. This member 10 as before stated is supported by the base member 6; while the member 10 in turn supports the cylindrical casing 5 whose lower edgeengages the member 10 just inside of the flange 12. the central flange 1 1 of the member 10 and resting thereon is a disk 15 having an upwardly turned flange 16, and a central opening 17 registering with the opening 13 of the member 10. Resting on the disk 15, is a spacing device 18 formed as shown in the drawing from an integral piece of wire bent into zigzag form and extending around the outer portion of the disk. At suitable intervals this zigzag spacer is provided with mem bers 18 which are connected with the body of the device by loops or eyes 18 These members 18 'may be termed centering devices since they project outwardly from the body of the spacer and engage the disk 15 at the base of the flange 16, thus centering the spacing device and maintaining it in proper relative position with reference to the parts with which it is used. Above the zigzag spacer and resting thereon is a disk 19 having Between rojections 20 there is a space 25 throng which the material under treatment Above the disk 19 is another spacmg device 18 of the same construction as that heretofore described. In like manner: the apparatus within the tank is composed of disks 15 and 19 alternately arranged from the top to the base of the structure, whereby the material under treatment passes from one disk through the spaces 25 at its outer edge, falling u on the disk 15 below u on which it is cause to travel to thecentra opening 17 through which it passes to the center of the disk 19 next below whence it passes outwardly and down through the spaces 25 and so on until the last disk 15 is reached, when the material passes through the funnel 14 to the conical base 6 and engages the troughs 9 and 8 as it moves downwardly to the flange 7 where it overflows. During this downward travel of the material, the latter is deprived of its free metallic values and the portion which passes over the flange 7 consists of the gangue or tailings. All of the interior structure of the apparatus, that is to say the various disks and other elements with which the material comes in contact, are coated with mercury for the purpose of catching and retaining all of the amalgamable values which the material under treatment contains.

Above the uppermost disk 19 which forms the topmost of the series of disks 15 and 19, is located a funnel-shaped hopper or receiver 26 whose opening 27 is located directly above the center of the disk 19. This funnel-shaped hopper 26 is provided with a depending flange 28 which engages the upper part of the tank 5 on the inside fitting closely therein. The upper edge of the depending flange 28 is bent outwardly forming a shoulder 28 which rests upon an exterior shoulder 30 formed on the top of the tank 5. Projecting upwardly from the outer edge from the funnel-shaped hopper 26 is a flange 29 within which is located a removable tray 31 whose bottom is composed of mesh material 32.

When the apparatus is in use the material to be treated is fed in the form of pulp of suitable consistency into the tray 31 falling upon the screen bottom 32. This pulp should contain a suflicient quantity of water to cause it to flow with sufficient freedom to prevent clogging the apparatus. In other words it should be a reasonably thin pulp. The object of the screen 32 is to prevent any material from entering the apparatus that is sufficiently coarse to clog the dlsks below. The material which is too coarse to pass through the mesh bottom of the tray may be removed therefrom at suitable intervals, thus permitting an unobstructed flow of pulp through the machine.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. An amalgamator composed of an upright tank containing a series of removable disks having central openings, and a series of removable disks having marginal openings, the disks of the two sets being alternately arranged, wire spacing means interposed between the two disks but independent therefrom, the disks as well as the inner wall of the tank being coated with mercury, substantially as described.

2. An amalgamator composed of an upright tank whose body portion is provided w1th a series of removable disks composed of two sets, one set having central opemngs and one set having marginal openings, the two sets of disks being alternately arranged and wire means for suitably spacing said disks, the apparatus being provided with a conical base having segmental troughs to retain a certain quantity of material, and means interposed between the base and the body of the tank for delivering the material under treatment to the apex of the base, whereby it is caused to enter the said troughs, substantially as described.

3. An amalgamator composed of an upright tank provided with amalgamating devices suitably separated and constructed to allow the material under treatment to pass from the top to the bottom of the tank, the base of the structure being cone-shaped and provided with segmental troughs arranged in different zones, the troughs of each zone being separated and arranged in staggered relation with reference to the adjacent set of troughs, and a cover for the base which is also cone-shaped and adapted to rest upon the troughs, the said cover having an upturned flange which surrounds the lower extremity of the tank and a central opening to allow the material to enter, substantially as described.

4. An amalgamator composed of an upright tank whose body part is provided with a series of disks having central openings, and another series of disks having marginal openings, the two series of disks being alternately arranged and suitably separated the one from the other, wire members for separating said disks, the top of the tank being provided with a hopper provided with a depending flange which engages the upper rim of the tank and a tray whose bottom is composed of mesh material, and the bottom of the tank with a base provided with mercury troughs, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES P. MoGINN.

Witnesses:

CHARLES T. ROAOH, EDGAR F. 800m. 

